Orthodontic mold appliance



Jam; 15, 1937. T, FU L gT L 2,083,563

ORTHODONTIC MOLD APPLIANCE Filed Dad. 11. 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5/ I BY I My.

June, 15, 1937. T, ET AL 2,083,563

ORTHODONTIC MOLD APPLIANCE Filed D ac. 11, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 15,1937

PATENT OFFICE ORTHODONTIC MOLD APPLIANCE Thomas Hill and Chest er P. Lucas, New York,

Application December 11, 1935, Serial No. 53,861

9 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for the pro duction of orthodontic models, and other record models and articles.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of. the character described having improved means for producing such models or articles in various sizes according to predetermined guide or scale means or both.

Another object of the invention is the provi- 'sion of a device of the nature set forth having improved scale means for rapidly obtaining different sizes directly and additively, for setting a mold for the models or articles.

Another object of the invention is to furnish a device of the type mentioned having parts adjustable in an improved manner for molding records or articles of different sizes with especial h reference to orthodontic models for children as well as adults.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the class alluded to having relatively few and simple parts, and which is inexpensive to manufacture and assemble, easy, convenient, accurate, and rapid in use, durable, reliable and efiicient to a high'degree in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims, and illustrated in the annexed drawings, wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation showing a device embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in rear elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device.

Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are perspective isometric views of parts of the device.

Fig. 9 is a view in elevation with parts in section and other parts in dot dash lines showing details of the device.

Figs. 10 and 11 are sectional views taken on the respective lines l0-'l0 and H-ll of Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a plan view of a scale device embody- ,ing the invention, with some marks omitted.

Figs. 13 and 14 are sectional views taken on the respective lines l3-l3, I l-14 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line l5-l 5 of Fig. 14.

Figs. 16 and 17 are views in elevation showing successive steps in making orthodontic molds, with parts in dot dash lines.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized when all of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and the same structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less than the whole.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, that the same may be incorporated in several different constructions. The accompanying drawings, therefore, are submitted merely as showing the preferred exemplification of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 20 denotes a device embodying the invention. The same may include a base 2| reenforced by a continuous marginal flange 22 along the front, back and sides thereof. Rigidly mounted on said base is a back 23 reenforced by marginal bottom and side and top flanges 24, the back having a central vertical guide slot 25, see Fig. 1, and the top flange being cut away at 26 in spaced relation to the slot. The back is perpendicular to the plane of the base, and the flange reenforcements prevent relative bending or springing, and permit these parts to be made of relatively light material or sheet metal.

Coacting with the base and back are a plurality of like guide or wing'members 21, only the right hand member being shown in Fig. 4. Each wing member has a plurality of upright extending flanges which, in plan, are at an angle to each other, and with the flange 28 being at an angle to the back 23. Thus a double corner formation is obtained in an orthodontic model base, according to approved practice. The flanges 28 always make continuous line contact with the back 23 and the wing members are perpendicular to the base 2| and in constant engagement therewith. It is noted that the flanges 28, 29 are both rela tively narrow to permit molding of bases of different size without binding by the flanges, especially the flange 29.

At its lower end each member 21 includes a flange or mold section 30 extending forwardly of the back and desirably in the plane of its flange 29. These sections 3|! normally converge toward each other.

For adjustably securing the members 21 to the base 2!, a reeniorcing angle member 3| may be secured to each section 30, with the horizontal flange provided with an open ended slot 32. Permanently threadedly connected to the base 2| are clamping screws 33 which pass through a large relative movement of the members 21 toward other member 37, 38.

and away from the screws 33, angle plates or washers 34 may be provided, each having an open ended slot 35 to receive a clamping screw, and a lip 36 at the closed end of the slot, said lip being of the same thickness as the angle member 3|. Thus the members 2'6 and 34 may be adjusted according to any desired spacing or angularity between the members 2'! and clamped tight by the screws 33 having their heads formed with transverse rods for powerful screw activation.

It is now seen that the mold basin is closed at the back and sides by the members 23 and 30, but is open at the front. To close the latter one or another of the members 37, 38 may be used. The member 3! is of arcuate form and is used in molding the lower base, while the member 38 is of angular form and is used in molding the upper base, to thus differentiate the bases from each other. Both members are of the same height, and their concavities are of the same depth, and the distances between their ends are equal. Each member 31, 38 has a like frontward horizontally projecting internally threaded central boss 39 for holding its member down upon the base 2! and with the ends or points 45 of the member in snug engagement with and between the members 39 as shown in Fig. 3. In practice, the members 2?, and 3? or 38 are set in required positions and thereafter secured tight in these positions.

To adjustably conveniently set a member 31 or 38, a rod 4i may have its threaded end 42 removably screwed into a boss 35 of one or the This rod may be received in a notch 43 of a block 44 that may be rigidly secured to the base 2! at the forward end thereof. A latch plate 45 may be pivotally connected at 46 to the block 44 for swinging thereover with the adjustable nonremovable screw or nut 4! received in the open ended slot 48 of the latch plate. Hence, upon tightening the element 41, the plate 45 bears tightly down upon the rod 4! to hold it securely in the notch 43 and against relative longitudinal movement. In this manner the elements 3?, 38 and M may be alined with the center of the base 2!, and the rod 4| being perpendicular to the back 23.

In order to assure a correct horizontal relation of an anatomical portion of an orthodontic record, a guide plate 49 is provided having side points 55 and a front point for seating on the corresponding tooth portions of the anatomical portion to thus horizontally press the latter downward into the mold cavity, defined by members 23, 2'! and ill. Hence the member 49 is a fiat horizontal vertically movable plate, having a rear straight edge 52 for movement along the back 23.

Said plate 49 may have an internally threaded upper substantially central boss 53 for releasable connection with a guiding and actuating means therefor.

For guiding the member 49, a vertical guide bar 54 may be suitably rigidly connected to the base 2| in the rear of the back 23, and with the guide bar extending upward in central vertical register with the slot 25 and somewhat above said back and in spaced relation thereto. A sleeve 55 slidable along the bar 54, carries an arm 56 projecting forwardly through the slot 25, and rigidly carrying at its forward end a sleeve or hub 57. Extending snugly through the latter is a vertical screw 58 having a head 59 whereby the screw can be threaded into the boss 53, with the lower face of the sleeve 57 registering with said boss to aid in horizontally holding the guide plate 49. Since downward actuation of the latter may be caused by pressing on the nut 59, wings 60 may be provided on the element 55 to extend in opposite directions in sliding engagement with the rear face of the back 23, to thus aid in overcoming any possible cantilever stress on the member 56 and bar 54. The plate 49 and its supporting means are removable as a unit with the sleeve 55 moving upward off from the bar 54, and the member 55 traveling upward out of the slot 25. Upon so removing the guide plate 49, the mold cavity is fully conveniently exposed for work.

Having measured the height of the orthodontic model which is to be produced, it is preferred to provide means to limit the downward travel of the guide plate 49 accordingly. We may use a simple clamp 55 having a clamping screw 62, but in order to prevent the screw from biting into the bar 54, and interfering with smooth sliding of the sleeve 55, we prefer to use a second bar 63 to mount and receive the clamping action of the clamp 6|. tion slidingly engagcable with the guide bar 54 in the path of the sleeve 55 to thus limit downward movement of the latter according to the clamp setting.

To facilitate setting of the lowermost point of travel of the guide plate 49, we may correlate therewith a pair of marks or perforations 64, 65.

see Fig. 2, one being in a wing 55 and the other in the back 23. The relationships may be such that upon elevating and tightening the clamp'Bl to support the otherwise free plate 49 at a point such that the distance between the perforations 64, 65 is equal to a given measurement, an orthodontic model of required height will be obtained.

We will now describe the gage for readily obtaining the required measurements for setting the lowermost point of travel of the plate 45.

Said gage 56 may include a plate 57 having cor-' ner supporting feet tll'a. Along this plate there may extend a row of marks or perforations 68 parallel to the adjacent edge 69 of the plate, and a plurality of rows of perforations ll, 12 at different angles with the row 58. The arrangement Said clamp may have a projecting porof the perforations is such that corresponding perforations in the rows 68, H, 12 will all he along parallel lines, perpendicular to the straight edge 69."

Associated with the plate 61 is a slide element 13 providing a straight edge transverse to said rows 68, ll, 12 and transversely movable along said rows. Said element may have end portions "E4, 15 undercut at T6 to receive and slidably engage opposite parallel straight edge portions 69, ll of the plate 61. Y 1

To clamp the element 13 to plate 61 in a set position, a sleeve J8 may be mounted on the portion 14, said sleeve having opposite open ended slots 79, see Fig. 15, to receive an adjacent edge portion H of the gage plate. A screw 80 may be fixedly threaded into an end of the portion 14, and a runner nut 51 may be turned to bear downward on the sleeve F8 to cause the same to frictionally clamp with the gage plate at the closed ends of the slots 19.

Along the portion E5 is slidable a sleeve 82 that may be clamped in fixed position to the element 13 by a set screw 33. The sleeve 82 may 1 To prevent 15, 18, '82 may be of square or rectangular cross section; V

Atypical manner of using the invention will now'be' described. The lower anatomical portion 81 is measured as with a pair of dividers to obtain the distance A; Opposite points of the dividers are then moved along the rows 63, 1 l 'of the gage plate t'lfuntil the divider points register with corresponding perforations. "The nut 8| is now loosened'a'nd the straight edge element moved tothe immediate left of the perforations so registering with the dividen Then the nut BI is screwed tight so that element 13 is now clamped in position for all measurements for the orthodontic models. The divider is now opened furtherto register with the perforation of row 68 and'th'e' corresponding perforation of row 12, along the element 13,the divider being thus set to thedistance B. This setting B gives the height of the lower orthodontic model of Fig. 16, including the thickness of the base 88 shown in dot dash lines. 'The clamp 6| is now set to cause the distance between the perforations 64, 65 to be equal to B. I If now the molding material is placed in the mold cavity, and the portion 81 superimposed, and the guide plate 49 moved downward as'far as it will go, a lower orthodontic model L will be obtained whose height will be the measure ment B.

It is now desired to make the upper orthodontic model U. For this purpose, the model L is placed over the upper anatomical specimen 89 with the parts 81, 89 in occlusion. The divider is now used to obtain the measurement C which includes model L and specimen 89. The operator now loosens the screw 83 and sets and clamps the member 82 at a position such that one pointer of the set divider is in perforation 85 and the other in the above mentioned perforation of the row H, defining the distance C. Now the operator opens the divider to obtain a measurement D, being the distance from 85 to the corresponding perforation of row 12. Due to the slide 13, it will be seen that no confusion as to the perforations desired is possible. Now the clamp BI is reset to obtain distance D between the perforations 64, 65. Molding material is placed in the mold, and the model L and specimen 89 are placed as a unit as in Fig. 17 into the mold and the guide plate 49 moved downward as far as it will go, thus resulting in the molding of a base 90 to complete the upper model U.

It will be noted that with specimens 81, 89 in proper occlusion, the upper and lower model surfaces 91, 92 are perfectly. parallel, and the rear faces 93 lie in a plane, perpendicular thereto. Likewise the corners 93a are in true vertical alinement. Hence a rapid check up can be made whether the specimens 81, 89 are in the actual or proper occlusion or relation to each other, upon inspecting the models at any future date to observe orthodontic progress.

As regards the actual molding operation it is thought that the same will be amply clear from the descriptions hereinbefore given.

We claim:

1. Orthodontic molding apparatus including a horizontal base, a back projecting upwardly therefrom, means for determining the contour of an article to be molded, said means including separate side elements engageable with the base and the back and projecting forward from the back, a front element mounted on the base and movable toward and away from the back between the side elements, the latter being adapted to be adjusted angularly to each otherand having bearing engagement with the ends of the front element to provide a mold cavity, a horizontal plane movablealong the back, and means for limiting the movement of the plane to produce an article of a predetermined height.

1 2. Orthodontic molding apparatus including a base, a back projecting upwardly therefrom, and means for determining the contour of an article to be molded, including separate side elements engaged with the base and back, and a separate front element engaged with the base and having end edges engaged with the side elements there' between, means adjustably securing the front element in predetermined spaced relation to the back, and means for securing the side elements for angular and linear motion so that the side elements can converge frontward toward each other at a desired angle, and according to a desired spaced relation between the side elements depending upon the position of the front element.

3. Orthodonticmolding apparatus including a base, a back projecting upward therefrom, and means for determining the contour of an articleto be molded, including separate side elements, the latter having angle members having open ended slots, screws connected to the base and receivable in the slots for clamping the angle members to the base to secure the side elements in desired spaced and angular relationships with each other, with the side members engaged with the base and back, aseparate front element having its ends engageable with the side members to provide a mold cavity, a rod secured. to the front element, and a clamp on the base for slidably engaging and securing the rod to maintain the front element in desired spaced relation to the back, said clamp being so fixed as to maintain the rod at right angles to the back in different positions of adjustment of the front element.

4. Orthodontic molding apparatus including a base, a back extending upward therefrom, and means for determining the contour of an article to be molded, including separate side members movable for angular and spaced adjustment relative to each other, and a front member adjustable along a fixed axis toward and away from the back, said members producing in assembled relation a configuration corresponding to that of an orthodontic mold.

.5. Orthodontic molding apparatus including a base, a back extending upward therefrom, and means mounted on the base for determining the contour of an article to be molded, including separate side members movable for angular and spaced adjustment relative to each other, and a front member adjustable along a fixed axis toward and away from the back, and means for securing the front member in adjusted position, including a rod, a block secured to the base and having a passage along which the rod is slidable, and a clamping screw for preventing longitudinal movement of the rod.

6. Orthodontic molding apparatus including a base, a back extending upward therefrom, and means mounted on the base for determining the contour of an article to be molded, including side members movable for angular and spaced adjustment relative to each other, and a front member adjustable along a fixed axis toward and away from the back, and means for securing the front member in adjusted position, including a rod, a block secured to the base and havin a passage along which the rod is slidable and a clamping screw for preventing longitudinal movement of the rod, the side members having laterally extending base portions, and means for adjustably individually securing said base portions to said base.

7. Orthodontic molding apparatus including a base, a back projecting upward therefrom, and means for determining the contour of an article to be molded, including separate side members movable for angular and spaced adjustment relative to each other, a front adjustable securing means on the base, and one of a series of front members of different contour interchangeably connected to the securing. means and adjustable thereby toward and away from the back, said front members being disposed to lie between the side members transversely thereof and in direct contact therewith.

8. Orthodontic molding apparatus including a base, a back extending upward therefrom, means for determining the contour of an article to be molded, means movable along the back, and means for limiting the path of movement of the movable means to determine the height of the molded article, including a bar, a clamp adjustably movable along the bar, said bar and clamp being located at the rear of the back, guide means connected to the movable means and passing through a slot in said back into proximity to the clamp for abutment therewith to limit the travel of the movable means as aforesaid, said clamp and bar being otherwise independent of the guide means.

9. Orthodontic molding apparatus including a base, a back extending upward therefrom, means associated with said base and back for determining the contour of an article to be molded, horizontal means movable along the back for exerting pressure on material in the mold, said back having a slot, an arm connected to the horizontal means and extending through said slot, at plurality of upright parallel bars secured to the base, a sleeve connected to said arm and movable along one bar, a clamp adjustable along the other bar and lying in the path of the sleeve to limit the movement of the horizontal means to determine the height of the molded article, said horizontal means being otherwise so independent of the back that pressure exerted on said means is not communicated to the back to strain the same.

THOMAS HILL. CHESTER P. LUCAS. 

